Child-resistant closure

ABSTRACT

An improved child-resistant closure and container combination is provided wherein the container mouth includes a retaining rib with a narrow, deep slot and a wide, shallow slot formed therein. The closure has on its internal surface a narrow, thick lug and a wide, thin lug. The internal lugs on the closure must be aligned with the mating slots on the retaining rib in order to remove the closure from the container. The closure also is provided with a removal tab which becomes aligned with a notched external flange on the container neck for access to the removal tab when the internal closure lugs are aligned with the retaining rib slots on the container.

llrte States atent 1 1 1 1 3,871,662

Hepp et al. Mar. 18, 1975 CHILD-RESISTANT CLOSURE Primary ExaminerGeorgeT. Hall Inventors: K. Kevin pp, p y g; James Attorney, Agent, or FlrmA.Steger; E. Holler H. Price, Maumee, both of Ohio [73] Assignee:Owens-Illinois, lnc., Toledo, Ohio [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Jan. 111974 An irnprovecl chllcl-resistant closure and container combination isprovided wherem the container mouth [2]] Appl. No.: 432,527 includes aretaining rib with a narrow, deep slot and a wide, shallow slot formedtherein. The closure has on 52 us. 01 215/223, 215/206, 215/224 i fir fa i lug and z g [58] Field 0f Search 215/206, 223, 224 t e matmg e i m 0remove the closure from the container. The closure [561 References $1121litll i nfi ilefi 2112323 1 Elf/136 133 31 5123? UNITED STATES PATENTStainer neck for access to the removal tab when the in- 3,393,8l6 7/l968Grimm 215/223 ternal closure lugs are aligned with the retaining rib3,432,058 3/1969 Burgess 1 215/224 x Slots on the container 3,627,160l2/l97l Horvath 215/224 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHARI 3.871662 sum 2 or 2 ll CHILD-RESISTANT CLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to a child-resistant closure and containercombination whereby dangerous or hazardous medications or .the likecarried within a container are safely contained therein by lockingfeatures of the container closure such that the contents of the closurewill not become readily available to children. In other words, theclosure and container are so constructed that the closure may be easilypositioned on the container into a locking position, but in order toremove the closure from the container, some considerable thought andspecific intent is necessary. The closure is constructed with a removaltab, access to which may be gained only when the removal tab overlies anotch in an external flange on the container neck. The closure includeson its internal surface a narrow, thick lug and a wide, thin lug whichmate with a narrow, deep slot and a wide, shallow slot in a retainingrib on the upper neck portion of the container when the aforementionedremoval tab is aligned with the notch in the external flange to allowremoval of the closure from the container. Thus, the closure must berotated to a predetermined circumferential location in order to removeit from locking engagement with the container.

The prior art has suggested many types of safety caps and containerconfigurations for keeping poisons, dangerous chemicals, and othermedications away from children or unsuspecting adults. Examples of suchprior art safety caps include those disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,170,585(George H. ODonnell), 3,627,160 (William Horvath), 3,703,974 (Leo M.Boxer et al.), and 3,759,979 (Walter G. Berghahn).

The prior art devices have heretofore suffered in the respect that theyhave been difficult and expensive to manufacture or have necessitatedunduly complicated maneuvers in order to place the cap into engagementwith the container after the desired portion of the contents of thecontainer have been removed.

In the safety cap field, it is usually desirable to require a relativelyhigh degree of manual dexterity in removing the cap, but once it isremoved, it is desired to replace it as quickly as possible withoutnecessitating complicated maneuvers. In addition, many of the prior artsafety closures have incorporated only one safety feature so that,through careful manipulation or the application of excess force, thissafety feature can be overcome and becomes inoperative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In its preferred form, this invention disclosesa safety cap or closure and container combination which includes a capmember having top and depending wall portions, the interior surface ofthe cap member being adapted to receive the mouth portion of a containerhaving a coacting or mating configuration. The interior surface of theclosure has a narrow, thick lug and a wide, thin lug formed thereon inthe same semicircular span and being separated from each other. Thecontainer mouth includes a retaining rib which is interrupted by anarrow, deep slot and a wide, shallow slot which are sized and spaced tomate with the narrow, thick lug and wide, thin lug, respectively, on theclosure. The closure is adapted to slide over the mouth portion of thecontainer so that the lugs on the interior of the closure will snap intoengagement with the retaining rib on the container mouth at anycircumferential position. However, the closure may be removed only whenthe closure has been rotated to a position where the respectively sizedlugs and slots are in a mating position so that the lugs will slidethrough the slots.

The container mouth also includes an external flange which extendsradially outwardly beyond the skirt portion of the closure when it isapplied to the container. This flange includes a deep access notch whichis formed by arecessed portion of smaller radial extent than the mainbody of the flange. A removal tab is formed at the lower edge of theclosure skirt and extends radially outwardly therefrom to a positionapproximating the radial extent of the external flange on the containerneck. Thus, access to this removal tab may be had only when the removaltab is positioned overlying the notch in the flange portion of thecontainer neck.

The closure and container combination of this invention is formed sothat the respective lugs on the closure and slots in the retaining ribof the container are in alignment at a circumferential positionsimultaneously with the alignment of the removal tab with the notch inthe flange portion of the container. Thus, the removal tab is accessibleonly when the tab is positioned in overlying relationship with the notchin the container neck flange and, simultaneously, the lugs are alignedwith the slots in the retaining rib. When the closure is rotated to anyother circumferential location, both lugs on the closure are lockedbeneath the retaining rib on the container and access to the removal tabis made impossible by the flange on the container neck. Thus, thecombination of the lug-retaining rib slot and the tabcontainer neckflange safety features provides a double safe child-resistant closureand container combination.

In addition, the use of the two dissimilar lug and slot configurationsmakes forced removal of the closure from the container at a positionwhere only one lug is adjacent to a notch impossible. In other words,the wide, thin lug will not pass through the narrow, deep slot, and thenarrow, thick lug will not pass through the wide, shallow notch. Thus, athird safety feature is incorporated into the child-resistant closure ofthis invention.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the subject invention willbecome apparent to one skilled in the art upon reference to thefollowing detailed description and the drawings illustrating a preferredembodiment thereof.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a child-resistantclosure and container combination incorporating the unique features ofthis invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the closure of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the closure of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the neck portion of the container of FIG.1;

FIG. 5 is a partial front elevation view of the container of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top sectional view of the closure and container combinationof this invention in a locked position; and

A DISCLOSURE OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In its preferred embodiment, thisinvention is illustrated in FIG. 1 to include a combinationchildresistant closure and container which are designated by thenumerals l and 12, respectively. The closure 10, as can be seen in FIGS.1 and 2, includes a top panel 14 and a depending wall or skirt portion16. The closure also includes on its external surface a removal tab 18which extends outwardly from the lower edge of the skirt 16. An arrowmember is formed to protrude upwardly from the top panel 14 andoutwardly from the skirt 16 adjacent to the removal tab 18 to serve as atouch and feel locator or indicator for the removal tab 18. The arrowmember 20 is particularly helpful when trying to find the removal tab inthe dark or for people with inferior eyesight, such as the blind oraged.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the closure 10 includes on its interiorsurface a pair of locking lugs 22 and 24 and a camming lug 26. Each ofthe lugs 22, 24 and 26 are formed on the interior surface of the skirt16 adjacent the lower edge thereof. The locking lug 22 has a wide, thinconfiguration and, in contrast, the locking lug 24 has a narrow, thickconfiguration. The camming lug 26 has a constant thickness and spans alarger circumferential portion of the closure than do the locking lugs22 and 24. The functions of each of these lugs will become apparent whenthe remainder of this description has been read.

The neck portion of the container 12 can be seen in the drawings toinclude a relatively large external flange 28 which extends outwardlyfrom the neck of the container a distance equal to or greater than theradial extent of the removal tab 18 on the closure 10. A recessedportion or notch 30 is formed in the flange 28 to provide access to theremoval tab 18 when the closure 14 is positioned in engagement with thecontainer 12. As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the container 12 includesa retaining rib 32 adjacentthe upper edge of the container neck. Thisretaining rib 32 is adapted to cooperate with the lugs 22, 24 and 26 onthe closure 10 to retain the closure 10 in locked engagement with thecontainer 12. The retaining rib 32 has formed therein a wide, shallowslot 34 and a narrow, deep slot 36 which are identical in size and shapewith the locking lugs 22 and 24 respectively.

The operation of the child-resistant closure and container combinationof this invention can best be understood by reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.Initially, the closure 10 may be placed into engagement with the conbinewith the camming lug 26 to retain the closure in locked engagement inall circumferential positions except where the wide, thin lug andnarrow, thick lug are positioned adjacent the wide, shallow notch andthe narrow, deep notch respectively. As stated previously, thecircumferential position, where the locking lugs 22 and 24 are adjacentto slots 34 and 36, is identical to that where the removal tab overliesthe notch in the container flange. The use of dissimilar sized lugs andnotches as disclosed by this invention prevents the possibility of thealignment of one notch with one lug and the subsequent application ofconsiderable force to overcome the remaining resistance created by onlyone lug being positioned underthe retaining rib. In this embodiment, thepossibility of partial alignment removal cannot occur, as the wide, thinlug cannot slide through the narrow, deep slot, nor can the narrow,thick notch be forced through the wide, shallow slot. Thus, at all timesexcept when the precise combination of mating lugs and slots arepositioned adjacent each other, both locking lugs are retaining theclosure in locking engagement with the container. The camming lug 26also provides additional locking engagement under the retaining bead 32;however, this camming lug 26 acts as a pivot or camming surface when thelugs 22 and 24 are positioned adjacent their mating slots 34 and 36 andthe removal tab 18 of the closure is lifted so as to pivot the closureout of engagement with the container.

Thus, it can be seen from the preceding description that thechild-resistant closure and container combination of this inventionovercomes the disadvantages associated with the prior art in that theclosure may be tainer 12 at any circumferential location as the lugs 22,

24 and 26 on the closure 10 are adapted to slide over the retaining rib32 on the container 12 to lock thereunder. Once the closure 10 has beenplaced into locking engagement with the container 12, three separatesafety features are involved in preventing the removal of the closurefrom the container.

Since the removal tab 18 is of the same radial extent as the flange 28on the container neck, access to this tab is prevented in allcircumferential locations except when the tab 18 is rotated intooverlying relationship with respect to the notch 30 in the flange 28 (asshown in FIG. 7). Secondly, thelocking lugs 22 and 24 comremoved at onlyone circumferential position and in that position it may be removed veryeasily. In all other circumferential locations, there is both no accessto the removal tab and a complete blocking action provided to preventremoval of the closure. However, in the desired removal position, bothaccess to the removal tab and ease of unlocking is provided by thesimultaneous alignment of the removal tab with the flange notch and thealignment of the locking lugs with the respective slots in the retainingbead. It should be understood that a variety of different lug and slotconfigurations may be utilized and are encompassed within the scope ofthis invention.

We claim: I

1. A child-resistant closure and container combination comprising aflexible closure member having a top portion and a dependingperipherally continuous wall portion, the wall portion having aninterior surface, the interior surface having a pair of inwardlyprojecting locking lugs of dissimilar configuration and an inwardlyprojecting camming lug thereon, one of said locking lugs having a firstconfiguration and the other of said locking lugs having a secondconfiguration, said pair of locking lugs being of limited annular extentand contained within a separate semicircular span of the inte riorsurface of said closure wall portion from said camming lug, and acontainer having a mouth portion, the mouth having an outwardlyprojecting retaining rib adjacent an upper end thereof, said retainingrib being substantially continuous with a pair of slots of dissimilarconfiguration formed therein, one of said slots having a firstconfiguration of sufficient size to allow said one locking lug to passthrough said rib and the other of said slots having a secondconfiguration of sufficient size to allow said other locking lug to passthrough said rib, said locking lugs and said camming lug engaging thelower surface of said retaining rib upon application of the closure tothe container to hold the closure on the container, and said locking lugpreventing removal of said closure from said container except when saidone locking lug is positioned adjacent said one slot and said other lugis positioned adjacent said other slot.

2. A child-resistant closure and container combination as set forth inclaim 1, wherein said container mouth further includes an outwardlyprojecting external flange which is substantially continuous and has anotch formed therein, said closure includes a removal tab projectingoutwardly from said wall portion, the radial extent of said tab beinggreater than the radial extent of said notch but not greater than theradial extent of the remainder of said flange, said closure beingrotatable relative to the container mouth to effect registration of theremoval tab with the notch for removal of the closure from thecontainer.

3. A child-resistant closure and container combination as set forth inclaim 2, wherein the registration of the removal tab with the notchcoincides simultaneously with the alignment of said one locking lug withsaid one slot and said other locking lug with the other slot.

4. A child-resistant closure and container combination as set forth inclaim 3, wherein said camming lug is of sufficient size so as to belarger than said slots in the retaining rib.

5. A child-resistant closure and container combination comprising aflexible closure member having a top portion and a dependingperipherally continuous wall portion, the wall portion having aninterior surface, the interior surface having a pair of inwardlyprojecting locking lugs and an inwardly projecting camming lug thereon,one of said locking lugs having a narrow, thick configuration and theother of said lugs having a wide, thin configuration, said pair oflocking lugs and said camming lug being of limited annular extent andcontained within a separate semicircular span of the interior surface ofsaid closure wall portion, the container having a mouth portion, themouth having an outwardly projecting retaining rib adjacent an upper endthereof, said retaining rib being substantially continuous with a pairof slots formed therein, one of said slots having a narrow, deepconfiguration of sufficient size to allow said one locking lug to passthrough said rib and the other of said slots having; a wide, shallowconfiguration of sufficient size to allow said other locking lug to passthrough said rib, said locking lugs and said camming lug engaging thelower surface of said retaining rib upon application of the closure tothe container to hold the closure on the container, and said locking lugpreventing removal of said closure from said container except when saidone locking lug is positioned adjacent said one slot and said other lugis positioned adjacent said other slot.

6. A child-resistant closure and container combination as set forth inclaim 1, wherein said container mouth further includes an outwardlyprojecting external flange which is substantially continuous with anotch formed therein and said closure includes a removal tab projectingoutwardly from said wall portion, the radial extent of said tab beingtreater than the radial extent of said notch but not greater than theradial extent of the remainder of said flange, said closure beingrotatable relative to the container mouth to effect registration of theremoval tab with the notch for removal of the closure from thecontainer.

7. A child-resistant closure and container combination as set forth inclaim 2, wherein the registration of the removal tab with the notchcoincides simultaneously with the alignment of said one locking lug withsaid one slot and said other locking lug with the other slot.

8. A child-resistant closure and container combination as set forth inclaim 7, wherein said camming lug is of sufficient size so as to belarger than said slots in

1. A child-resistant closure and container combination comprising aflexible closure member having a top portion and a dependingperipherally continuous wall portion, the wall portion having aninterior surface, the interior surface having a pair of inwardlyprojecting locking lugs of dissimilar configuration and an inwardlyprojecting camming lug thereon, one of said locking lugs having a firstconfiguration and the other of said locking lugs having a secondconfiguration, said pair of locking lugs being of limited annular extentand contained within a separate semicircular span of the interiorsurface of said closure wall portion from said camming lug, and acontainer having a mouth portion, the mouth having an outwardlyprojecting retaining rib adjacent an upper end thereof, said retainingrib being substantially continuous with a pair of slots of dissimilarconfiguration formed therein, one of said slots having a firstconfiguration of sufficient size to allow said one locking lug to passthrough said rib and the other of said slots having a secondconfiguration of sufficient size to allow said other locking lug to passthrough said rib, said locking lugs and said camming lug engaging thelower surface of said retaining rib upon application of the closure tothe container to hold the closure on the container, and said locking lugpreventing removal of said closure from said container except when saidone locking lug is positioned adjacent said one slot and said other lugis positioned adjacent said other slot.
 2. A child-resistant closure andcontainer combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said containermouth further includes an outwardly projecting external flange which issubstantially continuous and has a notch formed therein, said closureincludes a removal tab projecting outwardly from said wall portion, theradial extent of said tab being greater than the radial extent of saidnotch but not greater than the radial extent of the remainder of saidflange, said closure being rotatable relative to the container mouth toeffect registration of the removal tab with the notch for removal of theclosure from the container.
 3. A child-resistant closure and containercombination as set forth in claim 2, wherein the registration of theremoval tab with the notch coincides simultaneously with the alignmentof said one locking lug with said one slot and said other locking lugwith the other slot.
 4. A child-resistant closure and containercombiNation as set forth in claim 3, wherein said camming lug is ofsufficient size so as to be larger than said slots in the retaining rib.5. A child-resistant closure and container combination comprising aflexible closure member having a top portion and a dependingperipherally continuous wall portion, the wall portion having aninterior surface, the interior surface having a pair of inwardlyprojecting locking lugs and an inwardly projecting camming lug thereon,one of said locking lugs having a narrow, thick configuration and theother of said lugs having a wide, thin configuration, said pair oflocking lugs and said camming lug being of limited annular extent andcontained within a separate semicircular span of the interior surface ofsaid closure wall portion, the container having a mouth portion, themouth having an outwardly projecting retaining rib adjacent an upper endthereof, said retaining rib being substantially continuous with a pairof slots formed therein, one of said slots having a narrow, deepconfiguration of sufficient size to allow said one locking lug to passthrough said rib and the other of said slots having a wide, shallowconfiguration of sufficient size to allow said other locking lug to passthrough said rib, said locking lugs and said camming lug engaging thelower surface of said retaining rib upon application of the closure tothe container to hold the closure on the container, and said locking lugpreventing removal of said closure from said container except when saidone locking lug is positioned adjacent said one slot and said other lugis positioned adjacent said other slot.
 6. A child-resistant closure andcontainer combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said containermouth further includes an outwardly projecting external flange which issubstantially continuous with a notch formed therein and said closureincludes a removal tab projecting outwardly from said wall portion, theradial extent of said tab being treater than the radial extent of saidnotch but not greater than the radial extent of the remainder of saidflange, said closure being rotatable relative to the container mouth toeffect registration of the removal tab with the notch for removal of theclosure from the container.
 7. A child-resistant closure and containercombination as set forth in claim 2, wherein the registration of theremoval tab with the notch coincides simultaneously with the alignmentof said one locking lug with said one slot and said other locking lugwith the other slot.
 8. A child-resistant closure and containercombination as set forth in claim 7, wherein said camming lug is ofsufficient size so as to be larger than said slots in the retaining rib.